GB: In the End
by WayWardWonderer
Summary: Dana Barrett and Dr. Ray Stantz, who is sick with a nasty cold, have a moment to talk when he comes to her aid in her new apartment after an unusual scare. Bonding over a rekindled friendship is just the thing the duo needs on a cold stormy night in 1988.


November 1988:

An autumn storm washed over the city as evening gave way to night. Dana Barrett, newly divorced and now living alone in her new apartment, finished unpacking the last box of clothes and hanging up her garments in the modest closet of her bedroom. As thunder shook the bedroom window dotted with rain she jumped and stared wide eyed at the glass as it shook in the frame.

"It's just a storm." Dana told herself as she shut her closet door. "No more ghosts in the kitchen."

Breaking down the cardboard box Dana prepared to set aside for recycling when a loud 'thud' from the living room put her on edge.

"What was that?"

Placing the now folded cardboard box behind her bedroom door Dana dared to take a step outside of the room and venture into the living room. Peering carefully through the room she took in every detail, every object and every subtle movement that stirred within her apartment.

"Now how did that happen?"

A picture was laying on the floor, having fallen from the small shelf against the wall. As she bent down to pick up the dropped object a second picture slid from the shelf as the shelf itself fell loose from the nail, dumping all of the contents onto the floor beside the first picture.

Jumping back Dana wrapped one arm around her stomach and pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream.

Alone in the apartment Dana was truly terrified. "No, no, no. I'm NOT going to put up with anymore ghosts!" Rushing over to the phone sitting on the table beside her couch she lifted the receiver from the cradle and hovered her hand over the dial pad. "...what am I doing? Who am I going to-"

A rumble of thunder made her jump again and the lights in her apartment flickered.

"Peter! I hope... No." She hung up the phone and thought about her options. "Not him. If only the guys were still in business I know Egon, Ray and Winston could help me."

She had lost touch with the Ghostbusters shortly after the business was forced to shut down. While she and Dr. Peter Venkman had developed a close relationship for a time they had a bitter falling out, and her brief marriage afterward only seemed to add salt to the wound for Peter.

Dr. Egon Spengler had gone back to teaching but she didn't know how to get in touch with the rather reclusive physicist.

Winston Zeddemore had joined his father's construction company and took on side work as a mechanic, but he didn't have the same in depth knowledge of the paranormal as his colleagues.

Dr. Raymond "Ray" Stantz had kept ownership of the firehouse and had opened up his own bookstore in downtown Manhattan. While he was no longer a Ghostbuster his interest in the subject hadn't wavered over time.

"Ray." Dana decided as she picked up the phone again and began dialing the number for the bookstore. She had stopped by the store shortly after he had opened and kept his business card by the phone. He had also been a very good friend to her after her divorce, letting her cry on his shoulder while she too tried to rebuild her life after one unfortunate event after another. "Please be there..."

* * *

Leaning heavily on his elbows against the counter Ray rested his sweating pale face in the palms of his hands and coughed harshly. The chilly weather had affected his health giving him a nasty chest cold that he just couldn't seem to shake. It was eight in the evening, the sky was dark and there were no customers in the store, which meant Ray was left alone with his sickness.

"Might as well close early." Ray decided as he looked with bleary eyes at his watch. "It'll save money on the electric bill."

Ray locked the front doors and turned the 'Open' sign over to 'Closed'. As he went for the lights the phone on the front desk rang.

"Who'd be calling at this hour?" He coughed twice and cleared his throat before answering. "Ray's Occult. Dana?" Hearing her voice was a genuine shock as he and Dana were never one to merely chat over the phone, but it was the fear that shook her voice that really drew his attention. "Dana is there something wrong?"

As he listened to Dana tell him about what had happened in her new apartment and about everything that had contributed to her concerns the storm outside raged on and shook the entire store under the loud thunder and pounding rain.

"Look, everything will be okay." He put his hand over the phone as he coughed a few more times. "Just give me the address and I'll be right over. I'll take a look around for you." Scrawling down the address Ray's head began to pound and he felt himself beginning to shiver. "I'll be over soon, just sit tight."

Hanging up the phone he stuffed the piece of paper with the address into his pants pocket and grabbed his leather jacket. Shutting off the lights Ray exited the store from the back entrance, locked the door with his key and proceeded to walk down the sidewalk toward Dana's place.

The cold rain drenched Ray as he walked down eight blocks. Unwilling to spend money on a cab ride, the city's lawsuit was still being paid off out of his own pocket and bank account, Ray was subjected to the fury of the storm. Rain, wind and cold penetrated his flesh despite the thickness of his leather jacket protecting his upper body.

* * *

Dana sat curled up on her couch clutching a pillow to her chest as she stared at the fallen shelf hanging awkwardly on the far wall. The storm outside only made the nervous woman all the more tense as she waited for Ray to arrive.

"This is ridiculous." Dana told herself. "I'm acting like a scared child. It's just a storm and there's no ghost, that was all in the past. Probably a loose nail..."

Leaning forward against the pillow she shut her eyes and ran her hands through her thick dark hair as it hung loosely over her face.

A knock at her door made her jump. Looking straight forward with wide eyes she felt her heart racing and her stomach start turning. "The door." She realized feeling foolish. Tossing aside the pillow she made her way to the door and unchained the lock. Pulling open the door she greeted her guest. "Ray, thank you so much for coming!"

"No problem." He coughed once as he slipped off his soaked jacket. "Always happy to help."

Dana took one look at his paled and sweaty face and knew that the man was very ill. "Oh, Ray! You're sick!"

"Just a little cold." He tried to dismiss her concern, his whole body trembling from chills. "I'll live."

"No, you need to lay down." She pulled on his arm to lead him away from the door and inside the apartment. "Come on."

Feeling too weak to resist or argue Ray put his hand on the back of the couch and leaned heavily. As he made a step to move to the front of the couch to sit down Dana pulled on his arm again.

"No, this way. You need to lay down, I want you to lay down." She was adamant in helping her would be rescuer.

"Dana, don't put yourself out on my account." He covered his mouth as he coughed violently, his entire body shaking with each lung wracking spasm.

"Ray, why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"It's okay," Ray was still trying to pass off his illness as nothing to be concerned. "you need help. What's going on here?"

"That can wait." Dana put her hand on Ray's shoulder and pushed him toward her bedroom. "You need to lay down and rest. Don't you have anyone to look after you at home?"

"I'm a bachelor, remember?" Ray asked playfully as he was guided into the bedroom. "I survive like a lone wolf."

"Not tonight." Dana helped him to lay down on the bed. She gently pressed her hand to his forehead, brushing his wet hair out of his face. "You're running a fever." Walking into the small bathroom beside her bedroom Dana turned on the faucet in the sink and put a washcloth under the tap.

"I'm fine." Ray persisted as he tried to sit up on the bed. "Let me take a look around and then I'll get out of your hair.

"Lay down." Dana returned to the bedroom and put her hand on his chest, forcing him to lay back down. Smoothing the washcloth over Ray's forehead she revealed the glass thermometer in her other hand. "Open your mouth." She placed the device between his teeth. "I'll get you some ibuprofen."

Before Ray had the chance to refuse her help Dana had left the room, giving him time alone in the freshly furnished bedroom. The large bed was soft and covered with thick pillows and a thick quilt. The dresser had a large mirror and several cosmetics strewn about its surface. Pictures of Dana's parents and friends lined the walls and a tall bookshelf was filled with various romance novels and health books.

Dana walked back into the bedroom with a glass of water and two pills. "Take these." She offered the items to Ray as she carefully removed the thermometer from his mouth and read the result as she sat on the edge of the bed. "One hundred and three. You're not going anywhere tonight."

Ray downed the pills and water gratefully before accepting his fate for the night. "Dana, I'm here to help you, not the other way around."

"Too bad. That's what friends do Ray, you've helped me so much in the past and now it's my turn to help you."

"I didn't know we were keeping score."

"Well, I don't think I could ever fully repay you, so there isn't a need to keep score."

Ray closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He coughed again, his chest aching with the uncontrollable thrashing he was forced to endure. Dana rested her hand over his in an attempt to comfort the sick man.

"Shh," she soothed softly. "you'll be alright."

Opening one glassy eye he gave her an appreciative glance. "Thank you. You know, I can get you a great discount on prenatal books."

Dana felt herself pale and blush at the sometime. "On... what?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"You didn't- I just." She sighed and folded her arms over her chest. "How did you know?"

"I'm a scientist and trained observer. I notice these kinds of things."

Dana put her hand to her stomach. "Wish I had that kind of insight."

"Worried?" Ray asked sincerely. "I mean... The baby isn't, uh..."

"No. Peter is not the father."

Ray relaxed in the bed as he smirked a little. "Good. He's too much of a baby himself to have a baby of his own. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drudge up the past."

"It's okay." Dana was actually grateful to have someone take an interest in her current condition. "My ex-husband decided he wanted to pursue his career with a prestigious orchestra and didn't want to worry about a family. I don't know if I can do this by myself but I'm going to try anyway."

"How far along are you?"

"Four months." Dana smiled. "Almost halfway there."

Ray tried to smile but a sudden cough caught him off guard. He wrapped an arm around his chest as the painful coughs tore through him.

"You sound terrible. Have you seen a doctor?"

Ray calmed his breathing before answering and laying back down. "No. Can't afford to go. I was going to ask Egon for some help tomorrow."

"You and the other guys were thrown under the bus courtesy of the city," Dana remarked as she adjusted the washcloth over Ray's forehead. "I wish I could do something to help."

"Honestly, you being as kind as you are is incredibly helpful. It's nice to know that at least one person in this city knows the truth and is still willing to treat us with even the slightest modicum of respect." Ray's eyes shut slowly and his breathing evened out again. "I just wish I could've help you out tonight. Sorry to be a burden."

"Try to get some sleep." Dana encouraged with a gentle whisper. "You're not a burden, you're a human being. Relax, it's just a cold." She ran her hand through his hair sweetly as he drifted off. "Everything will work out in the end, you'll see."

 _ **-The End  
**_


End file.
